It's harder to tell if you're asleep the more asleep you are. It's like a dark closet. An infinite dark closet, if you can consider. The farther and farther back you travel, the harder it gets to see, until no matter how adjusted your eyes become to the dark you can't see anything. That's how it is with dreams, only sort of in reverse. At first, the dream seems so real, like it's unquestionably an event that is currently taking place in the real world, but the longer the sleep, the less tired you become, and the less tired you become, the lighter your sleep will gradually turn. Level 1 sleep is hardcore conked-out, but around level 3, you begin to realize you're merely dreaming and you can choose to sleep on or climb out of the dream you're dreaming. I do my best to always remain at level 3 sleep. It's light, yes, but this way I know I can always run if my dreams take a turn for the worse.

Dipper rubbed his eyes wearily and clicked his pen three times. The attic was dark, with only the dim glow of a lantern piercing the night shadows. Mabel snored gently from her bed across the room. She lay curled up, facing away from her twin, with her fat pet pig curled contentedly on top of her feet, which poked out from the end of her wrinkled blankets. Dipper sighed and clicked his pen again before turning back to his writing.

It's dangerous to dream.

He stared at the sentence he had written. His dry eyes locked unblinking on the paper and his thumb anxiously began to click the pen again. Mabel stirred with a moan and Dipper silenced his pen, tearing his eyes from the page and gazing upon his sister. She inhaled once deeply and began to snore again. Dipper watched her a moment longer, then returned to his book. He reopened his pen slowly so as to quiet the click and held the pen above the page.

If you can determine your dreams from reality, you're already in too deep.

Dipper could feel a shiver run down his spine and his hairline grew cold as sweat began to form. He continued to write.

I've made this mistake too many times. I'm afraid to go back to sleep, I'm afraid I'll lose myself again and I can't afford to let that happen.

Dipper could feel his heart beat faster. His breath began to shorten. He leaned in closer to the pages and adjusted his sticky grip on the cover.

As soon as I'm in I lose my grip. It's so obviously a dream. It makes no logical sense the world is so confused and messed up anyone looking at it from the outside would know it was a dream but it's impossible to tell from the inside. My exhausted mind betrays me and my secrets leak out.

Dipper sighed anxiously and scratched his ear. His hand was beginning to shake but he didn't stop writing.

I can't go to sleep. Not tonight, I'm too tired. He'll be there. He's always there. He'll catch me again and I'll do something stupid and someone will get hurt I can't-

He dropped his pen and it clattered to the floor too loudly. Dipper scrambled to pick it up but before he could continue writing, Mabel's voice came softly from across the room, making him jump.

"Dipper, are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry" Dipper forced a smile, "I'll go to sleep in a second, I promise."

Mabel studied his face sleepily in the darkness.

"Ok, don't do anything stupid," Mabel turned back over and snuggled deeply into her pillow.

Dipper chuckled and turned back to his book. His fake smile was gone in an instant as he reread his frantic ramblings. He sighed calmly and clicked his pen again.

I can't go back to sleep, not yet. It's a small price to pay to protect her, and goodness knows, I would do anything to keep her safe.

With a satisfied click of his pen, Dipper tucked the journal under his pillow and turned off the lamp.

"Goodnight Mabel," he whispered into the darkness.

"Goodnight Dipper," Mabel whispered back, "Sweet dreams."